(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to firearms ammunition, and more particularly to sabots for use with shotguns, muzzle loading rifles, and the like.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The use of slugs with shotguns is intertwined with the history of shotguns themselves. U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,231 discloses a waisted slug known as the BRI slug or bullet. Such waisted slugs grew to prominence in the 1970's and 1980's. That time period saw increased interest in use of shotgun slug motivated by a combination of user preference and regulatory influence. The availability of rifled shotgun barrels also increased, further enhancing slug performance.
In parallel, the field of muzzle loading rifles continues to flourish with a dedicated following. This field also provides fertile ground for use of saboted projectiles.
There are ongoing development efforts in saboted projectile technology. U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,238 discloses a sabot for chambering conventional bullets in a shotgun. U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,102 discloses a muzzle loading sabot. General dimensions of shotshells and pistol bullets are respectively disclosed in American National Standard Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Shotshell Ammunition for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers and in Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Centerfire Pistol and Revolver Ammunition for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2 1992 and Z299.3 1993 (American National Standards Institute, New York, N.Y.).
There, however, remains room for further improvement in the field.